By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/31/05
Lines at Atlanta area gas pumps grew along with prices this afternoon as word spread of possible fuel shortages.

By noon today, several metro Atlanta gas stations had posted prices above $3.15 per gallon. Some metro area stations were charging as much as $4.75 a gallon, according to a Web site that keeps track of such things, www.atlantagasprices.com.

Prices were rising so fast in some areas that signs at gas stations no longer matched what was being charged at the pumps.

Declaring that there's "credible evidence" of price-gouging at the gas pumps, Gov. Sonny Perdue late Wednesday signed an executive order threatening to impose heavy fines on gasoline retailers who overcharge Georgia drivers.

"When you prey upon the fears and the paranoia, it is akin to looting, and it is abominable," Perdue said at a hastily called, 6 p.m. press conference.

The anti-gouging law does not prevent retailers from selling gas at higher rates but bars them from charging what the governor called "unreasonable or egregious" prices. It was last used after Hurricane Ivan hit Georgia.

Perdue also urged motorists to limit Labor Day vacation travel if possible. "There is no reason to panic. There is plenty of gas on the way. The only way we would have problems is if people rush out and try to horde and try to accumulate gasoline they won't need for a while," the governor said today.

Jim Tudor, president of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, said panicky drivers are the problem now.

"Atlanta's not out of gas," Tudor said. He said there may be outages at some gas stations, "but it wasn't because there wasn't gas available. It was because there was a run on these stores."

Spot shortages and news snippets ignited rumors that shot through e-mails, text messages, and telephone calls Wednesday. A popular one said state troopers were closing all gas stations at 4 p.m.; they didn't.

Some good news also trickled in. At 4 p.m., the Colonial Pipeline Company which owns one of the two downed gas pipelines serving metro Atlanta, sent out a news release saying some service will be restored tonight. Between 25 to 35 percent of the pipeline's capacity could be operational in hours. The company is using generators to re-energize the line.

According to Tudor, it generally takes about two days for gasoline, jet fuel and other refined oil products in the pipeline to reach Atlanta.

A manager at Costco in Morrow said at noon that prices at her store had not risen yet, but lines are long at the pumps. She would not give her name, but said she does expect lower supplies  just one truckload of gas a day as opposed to the usual two.

At the Chevron gas station at 10th and Spring streets in Midtown, drivers were limited to buying $10 of gas which was selling for $2.99 a gallon. A sign inside the station said "Due to fuel shortage, we are having to restrict use."

Tim Gara was filling up the Toyata RAV4 he bought in April with low gas mileage in mind. "I knew [gas] would be a problem with the hurricane. I didn't know it'd get to rationing," Gara said.

Dawn Townsend, driving a VW Beetle, said the rationing reminded her of the oil crisis in the early 1970s. "I was remembering all the lines," she said.

At about 3 p.m., more than 40 cars were in line for gas at the BP at Pharr and Piedmont roads. Of the 16 pumps, only four were working.

James Yodr said, "My sister called 15 minutes ago and said there was no gas where she was. The news is spreading fast."

Long lines were also reported at gas stations along Memorial Drive and Hill Street in DeKalb County, and the Virginia-Highland Chevron.

Cars lined up to get into gas stations were causing huge traffic jams on main arteries in Sandy Springs around 4:30 p.m.

Gas suppliers worried this morning whether fear of shortages would cause every driver to try to fill his tank at the same time, which would drain supplies much more quickly and perhaps cause the shortages everyone fears.

"The whole supply thing is so fluid and changes hourly," said BP spokesman Michael Kumpf. "In terms of this weekend, there's going to be gasoline around unless people start panic buying, which I'm hoping news stories won't encourage folks to do that. The more that happens, the bigger the problem [will be]."

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There is no freaking excuse for gas station owners to raise their prices 200% in 1 day. They are not endanger of losing any business or any money. People will buy gas regardless of the price and their isnt any shortage on the horizon. These scum bags get away with murder.

There is no freaking excuse for gas station owners to raise their prices 200% in 1 day. They are not endanger of losing any business or any money. People will buy gas regardless of the price and their isnt any shortage on the horizon. These scum bags get away with murder.

The "majority" voted for the guy who is currently the president. He's doing nothing about this issue, because he is part of the oil industry. If you voted for him, really you should not say anything. If you voted against him, better luck next time.

The "majority" voted for the guy who is currently the president. He's doing nothing about this issue, because he is part of the oil industry. If you voted for him, really you should not say anything. If you voted against him, better luck next time.

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you need to sleep nuke--or read the news---or watch TV--action HAS been taken---how can you possibly say NOTHING has been done to try to address the problem ?

This kind of statement shoots your credibility all to hell---If you wanna bitch about something at least gripe about what he has tried to do.

It's not all gouging though. Ive heard that some areas of the country have no gas and there will not be another gas shipment for several days.... is it really that big a surprise that the gas prices are jumping?

I think its about time we started rallying against the environmentalists that have been keeping us from building more refineries. Let's stop putting these restrictions on us that are keeping us back. and well lets start using a bike more too....maybe we wont be as fat that way too

you need to sleep nuke--or read the news---or watch TV--action HAS been taken---how can you possibly say NOTHING has been done to try to address the problem ?

This kind of statement shoots your credibility all to hell---If you wanna bitch about something at least gripe about what he has tried to do.

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You're right, I retract my statement. He's not doing "nothing". However I do wish he would make energy a priority and start encouraging alternate sources of energy, even if it is not 100% in the interest of his oil buddies. That would be leadership. If we don't get away from our reliance on fossil fuels, we are in trouble and our descendents are doomed.

Price gouging going on here. Wish our governor would step into this situation with some threats like Gov. Perdue. Heaven knows, he travels around our state constantly and should know there's price gouging going on.

i talked to my grandparents yesterday, chatting about stuff and we got talking about gas prices, and how it is affecting them.

grammy told me because my they are retired and on a fixed income, they used savings, and went and filled their motorhome, which has an 80 gallon capacity. they are not travelling at this time because of my grandpa's upcoming surgery.

my grandpa invented his own cyphon (sp?) that eliminates sucking on the end of a hose and getting gas in your mouth, so if they need fuel for their lawnmower, ATV's (their main mode of transportation around town to neighbors, post office, etc.), they just get it from the motorhome.

they also filled both their truck and car yesterday, and used some savings to stock up on food and supplies so they don't have to travel the 13 miles into town for anything for at least 3-4 weeks, unless it is an emergency, because they live in such a small town, the main street is literally a post office, a bar/grill, and a church--total of 4 blocks. the rest are houses. The closest supermarket or target or walmart is 13 miles SW in Grand Rapids, MN

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